Gezicht op het dorp Zoeterwoude 1786 - 1792

Carel Frederik Bendorp created this print of Zoeterwoude using etching, a process that requires immense precision. Born in the Dutch Republic during a time of economic decline and growing social stratification, Bendorp devoted much of his artistic career to landscapes. But his idyllic renderings of the Dutch countryside mask a complex set of social and economic realities. Note the figures sparsely scattered throughout the scene, each frozen in a timeless tableau. The artist highlights the inherent tension of rural life. The division of labor, the isolation, and the quiet resilience of the village’s inhabitants are all subtly present. The artist asks us to consider who has access to such pastoral beauty and who is excluded. Ultimately, this small etching invites us to reflect on the relationship between people and the land they inhabit, both in Bendorp’s time and our own.